


Qpital Punishment

by melonbutterfly



Category: StarTrek: The Next Generation
Genre: Drama, Gen, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-23
Updated: 2009-05-23
Packaged: 2017-10-12 23:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/130311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melonbutterfly/pseuds/melonbutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the Q had decided to take more drastic measures instead of just taking Q's power away?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Qpital Punishment

**Author's Note:**

> I know this doesn't make much sense, fact-wise, so you should consider it AU. It's just something I daydreamed and decided to write down, and I really like it, so.

"Fire!"

The crew watched the Enterprise's beam head towards the enemy ship, hoping that their shields indeed had failed as Data's findings had indicated… and everything stood still.

One second, two seconds, three seconds trickled by until someone shifted; the noise broke the spell and Riker started to speak; "What-" but he was interrupted.

"I wanted to say good-bye, _mon capitaine_." Everyone turned into the direction of the voice. It was Q—of course it was Q—strangely calm, wearing something grey and inconspicuous. But that wasn't the only thing startling about him; somehow, the energy, the _sparkles_ were gone. Q was many things, but most of all he was energised, seemed to be always moving, inside and out—or used to. Not now. It was strange, and disconcerting.

"Q," Picard said, half-surprised, half not. "What are you doing here? We are a little busy right now, in case you haven't noticed."

Q ignored his words, but not Picard; he seemed to be entirely concentrating on the captain, ignoring everybody else in the room as he slowly stepped closer. He appeared calm and serious, and that was just _wrong_ , though nobody could have said why it made them want to shiver. Q didn't feel dangerous, more… something else, something he had never been before.

Suddenly, Q paused mid-step, just barely out of Picard's personal space. "You're early," he said, eyes still trained on Picard, but not speaking to him.

"Is this the place you choose?", another voice said, as calm as Q's, but indefinitely colder, more dangerous in its unresponsiveness.

Q turned around, facing a woman—almost a girl still in her appearance, but it was obvious she was Q and thus appearance didn't matter—and the weapon, resembling a gun, she was aiming straight at his head. "No," he said. "It is not. But it doesn't matter. Does it?"

She opened her mouth, and it was still her voice when she spoke, but there was something else layered in it, as if she was speaking with countless other voices, and yet it was only her voice that really sounded. "Q, your case has been considered and judged by the Continuum. We, the Q, acknowledge and accept the trade you offered and hereby claim your cessation in exchange for the safety of the race called humans. From the moment of your desisting on, the race called humans will be under the protection-by-interruption of the Q. Do you accept this trade?"

"I do." Q's voice was as calm and almost-relaxed as it had been before. The humans on the bridge stood frozen, not-quite-believing what they were witnessing, about to witness.

"Is there anything you want convey before the trade is accomplished?"

"Yes." Q walked towards her until the weapon was pressed into his forehead; he didn't even seem to notice. "I forgive you, Amanda."

She pulled the trigger the same moment a tear slid down her cheek, and Q exploded into a thousand shapeless, tiny sparkles, not unlike a swarm of fireflies, but unequally more beautiful and sad.

The gun slid out of her numb fingers, and Amanda caught one of the sparkles in her fist; she pressed it to her heart and let the tears fall.


End file.
